


Times Are Changing

by LJF



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Brothers, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Half-Siblings, In-Laws, Marriage, Protective Older Brothers, Protective Siblings, Romantic Friendship, Sibling Bonding, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22557880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LJF/pseuds/LJF
Summary: "I'm just...not sure how to tell you this, but....""You're stalling. Spit it out, Ez.""I'm....getting married.""Wait, what?!?"After everything is over, the world has changed. Everything hangs on on series of shaky alliances. In an attempt to strengthen these bonds, King Ezran of Katolis and Queen Aanya of Duren make a decision that will change both of their lives once again.
Relationships: Aanya & Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Aanya/Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Ezran & Soren (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 50
Kudos: 120





	1. The Wedding

The wedding was beautiful. After all they'd been through, they deserved at least that much.

There'd been some backlash when he'd proposed, of course. They were so young, had been the argument, and besides, _an elf_? Really?

Ezran had just been surprised Cal had been able to wait this long. The past year had been hard on all of them. He'd been separated from her for longer than he would have liked. _Of course_ he'd proposed the minute he'd turned sixteen (the legal age of adulthood in Katolis).

After the initial protests, there'd been complaints about the rush. A wedding suitable for a prince and an elven ambassador would take _at least_ six months to plan. Rayla and Callum had threatened elopement if it took any longer than a month, and those complaints had quickly vanished.

Of course, there'd been some snide comments about how the only reason they could possibly be in such a rush was if they had something to _hide_. Callum had quickly made it clear that anyone who _dared_ insult his fiancée in such a way would not be tolerated.

Finding the right location had taken some work. It had to be big enough to accommodate all the humans, elves, dragons, and other strange beasts who'd be visiting for the occasion.

But in the end, everything had worked out fine, and now King Ezran sat on a chair eating jelly tarts with Bait as he watched his brother dance with his bride.

"They look so happy, don't they, Bait?" The glow toad didn't dignify that with a response. "You know what? I'm pretty sure I saw Zubeia around here, and since she rarely lets Zym leave her side, that must mean--"

A baby dragon the size of table came barreling into him, knocking over Ezran's chair and covering hos face with zappy kisses.

"I missed you too, buddy," Ez said, smiling.

"Is someone having a reunion without us?" Callum asked, suddenly standing right next to them. He and Rayla helped Ezran up, and the five of them shared a group hug (Bait's protesting grumbles ignored.)

"Congratulations," Ezran said, smiling, "I'm so happy for you guys." He was about to say something else, but quickly shut his mouth. Callum gave him a funny look, but Ez shook his head and made the sign for _'later'_.

"Soren," Callum called, spotting the blond head of their friend coming their way. "How's training with the Sunfire elves going?"

As part of the peace treaty, there was a new exchange program, where representatives from each of the human kingdoms travelled to learn from with each of the six elf tribes, and vice versa. The human group was currently stationed in Lux Aurea, and Soren was one of Katolis's representatives.

"Oh, you know," Soren said, sighing a little, "I'm awesome at the sword fighting, but the politic-y stuff isn't my thing, really. Plus, in Sunfire territory I have to deal with Marcos being all googly-eyed over his girlfriend. Not fun. And I miss you guys!"

Ezran patted his friend on the back.

"Well, you'll be headed to Earthblood territory in a few weeks, and _I'm sure_ Rayla and Callum will come visit while they're travelling around Xadia on their honeymoon." Ezran gave them his best _kingly order look_.

"Of course we will!" Callum said, just a little too eagerly. "We were totally planning on visiting you."

"Aw, really?" Soren smiled, "You guys are the best!" He pulled Callum and Rayla into one of his bone-crushing hugs.

"Besides, you'll be back home and with the Crownguard witihin the year," Ezran said, "They couldn't stand to have you gone for too long." Soren seemed to brighten up at that.

"You're right," he said, "I should go check up on them-- make sure they're not letting standards slack without yours truly around." He marched off.

Ezran could feel eyes boring into his back and turned around. A girl standing on the far side of the field was looking at him, then flicking her eyes over to Callum. It was a gesture that clearly implied _have you told him?_ Ez shook his head. _Not yet._

He turned back to his brother and friends. Zym was flying off somewhere, trying to pull Rayla after him. Callum looked about to follow them when Ezran put a hand on his arm.

"We should talk."

* * *

He'd left Bait back by the food-- some conversations were _just_ between him and his brother.

They found a quiet spot a little ways away from the wedding party. Ezran could sense Corvus's eyes on him, as usual, but the older man stayed a safe distance away.

"Is something wrong, Ez?" Callum asked, "You seem a little worried."

"Wrong? No, no," Ezran replied, waving his hands, "Nothing is _wrong_ , per se...."

"You're acting really weird, kid," his brother said.

"I'm just...not sure how to tell you this, but...." Ezran twisted his hands nervously, unsure of how to continue.

"You're stalling," Callum wasn't stupid. "Spit it out, Ez."

"I'm....getting married." There. That wasn't so hard, was it? Ezran let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Wait, what?!?" Callum's face looked about as shocked as Ezran had when he'd found out Rayla and Cal were a _thing_. "Did I miss something? Aren't you, like, eleven?"

"I'm not getting married _tomorrow_ , Callum," he said, laughing at his brother's expression, "I meant, in like five or six years. Geez." Callum's face softened a little, but he still seemed confused.

"So, you're engaged?" Callum's face softened a little, but he still seemed confused. "I know I'm probably the wrong person to ask this, but aren't you a little young to be thinking about getting married? I didn't even know you had a crush on anyone, let alone--"

"I don't." Ezran's voice had slipped from its typical childish lightheartedness to the serious and commanding voice he used when he was speaking as the king of Katolis. "I don't have any feelings like you have for Rayla or anything."

"But then...." Callum's face was a mask of confusion, "I'm lost. Could you start from the beginning?"

"Thing are different now, Cal," Ezran sighed like he had them weight of the world on his shoulders-- which he kind of did. "Everything seems peaceful now, but relationships between the kingdoms are still somewhat uneasy-- not to mention the ones between the elves and the humans."

"Uh-huh." This wasn't exactly news.

"Your marriage to Rayla has definitely helped out Katolis on that front--"

"Huh?" Callum wasn't a king. He tried to stay out of the politcal side of things.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Ezran let out a little chuckle, "Yes, King Ahling has already told me what a wise move I made in making a marriage alliance with the Moonshadow elves."

"What? That's not--"

"Yes, _I know_ ," Ezran's face had a little smirk, "But like it or not, your actions affect more than just you and Rayla. You've made a clear staement that humans and elves _can_ coexist, and that Katolis has allied _with_ the elves."

"That's very nice, Ezran," Callum said, frowning, "But what does all that have to do with you getting married?"

"Well, elven relationships are peaceful, but on the human side, things are still _very_ unstable."

"So?" Callum's confused expression quickly changed to one of anger. "Ezran, if they're trying force you into some arranged marriage for 'the good of Katolis' or whatever--"

"Calm down, no one's forcing me into anything. " Ezran smiled. "In fact, it was my idea."

"Your idea? Ezran, why would you-?" Callum clearly didn't understand.

"Callum, I'm _king_. That means that everything I do affects more than just _me--_ I have an entire kingdom to think about." He looked his brother in the eye. "This alliance will help assure that we can _all_ live in peace."

"But--" Ezran could see the moment his brother realized he wouldn't be able to change his mind. Callum sighed. "So who is it? One of the Neolandian princesses? That duchess's daughter from Evenere?"

"Nope, nothing like that," Ezran said.

"I just don't understand, Ezran. Do you even know this girl?" Callum looked defeated. "How do you know you'll get along with each other?"

"Oh, we get along very well," Ezran said, trying to ease his brother's concerns, "I have a feeling you're going to like her."

"Are you sure about this, Ez? Marriage is a big deal."

"I'm sure," he smiled up at his older brother, "Now, if I remember correctly, this is _your_ big day. Worry about _my_ wedding another day."

"Oh, alright," Callum messed his brother's hair, then took his hand and the two walked back to the main party. "Do I at least get to meet her? Is she here today?"

"Yes, she is here," Ezran said as they stepped back onto the dance floor, "But you've already met."

"Really?" Callum scratched his chin, looking around, "What's her name?"

"Aanya."

"Oh, that's a nice-- wait, WHAT?!?!"

Ezran laughed as the entire assembly turned to look at them. Maybe he should have saved _that_ for another time. One where Callum's loud reaction would _not_ have attracted an audience.


	2. Peace and....Quiet? (Eleven)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezran learns what it means to be king in a time of peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, think of last chapter as a kind of prologue. From here on out, the plan is that each chapter will cover about a year (which may end up split into multiple chapters/parts if in gets too long). I don't have a detailed outline of exactly what will happen-- I plan on writing the story at least until the (Aanyan? Ezraanya? What is their shipname?) wedding. If that seems like a good place to stop, then I will. If the story seems unfinished, I'll continue it. We'll see how it goes.
> 
> Also, thanks to everybody who read, commented, and/or left kudos on the last chapter. I was not expecting so much positive feedback-- you guys are the best.
> 
> And sorry about how long this chapter took to write. I wanted to post it back in March, but then the world exploded, and since I'm studying abroad, I had to travel halfway around the world to make it home before borders everywhere shut down. And I'm still having online classes in another time zone, so my sleep schedule's a little nuts, and writer's block crept in....hopefully next chapter won't take nearly as long.

It was quiet around the palace these days. Too quiet.

Callum and Rayla were gone on their honeymoon, and Ezran wasn't sure if they were planning on staying here now that they were married, or if they wanted to build their own home, in Katolis, Xadia, or elsewhere.

Soren (along with Marcos and the rest of the exchange group) was also off in Xadia, probably having all sorts of fun adventures.

Zym was back home at the Spire, and Ezran really missed him. Sure, he got occasional telepathic glimpses at what was going on in the little dragon's life, but it wasn't the same as being _with_ him.

In short, there was only one way Ezran could describe his current lonely lifestyle: _boring._

That's not to say he didn’t have anything to do. Being king was a busy job. He had Council meetings to attend to, subjects to see, and messages from the Crow Lord to listen to. He could eat all the jelly tarts he wanted, and he had the ever-faithful Bait by his side.

But after adventuring across the continent, dealing with the war, and working with dragons, elves and magic, settling back into _paperwork_ was making him antsy and uncomfortable. It might have been different if he had his friends there to help him relax, but no. The only people around were adults who either underestimated him because of his youth or were overly respectful because of his title. No friends. No family. No _equals._

"King _Ezran!_ " It was that stuffy older Council member who did a lot of talking and never seemed to get anywhere with his speeches.

"Yes?" Ezran bit back a sigh. These Council meetings might be tedious, but they were important. He had an entire kingdom to manage.

"As I was saying, _your majesty_ , the current state of affairs in Katolis are--"

"What he _means_ to say," interrupted a female voice, "Is that things in the kingdom have settled down since the war's end. Rumors of your betrothal have begun to travel to other kingdoms. Now would be an opportune time to travel to Duren and pay a visit to the Queen."

"That's a _brilliant_ idea, Opeli," Ezran said, trying to contain his eagerness. A trip to another kingdom _and_ a visit with Aanya, probably the only person on the continent who could really understand his position. Maybe _she_ would have some advice for how to handle the overwhelming stagnation he'd been feeling. After all, before the war, she'd ruled over a fairly peaceful kingdom for nearly a year after taking over from the regent. She must have done _something_ to combat this crushing feeling of boredom.

"Perfect ," Opeli continued, "Shall we arrange things, your majesty?"

"Please do," Ezran said, "When will I be leaving? Tomorrow? The day after?" Opeli gave him a strange look.

"Your majesty, surely you remember that a royal procession takes at least a week to plan. Before that, we must send a message to Duren to ask permission and wait for a resppnse. Then things must be arranged to manage themselves while you're gone, as well as the necessities for visiting foreign royalty, I can’t imagine you'll be ready to leave for at least three weeks."

"Yes, of course," Ezran said, clamping down another sigh. "Begin the preparations at once, then." He'd managed this long. He could hold out another three weeks. He had to.

* * *

_Duren. Finally._ Ezran looked about at the palace above him. It was different from the uneven towers of Katolis. Odd, how, in all his travels, he'd hadn't spend much time visiting other kingdoms, and he certainly hadn't been to other palace since hazy trips with his father when he was younger.

He vaguely recalled a visit to Duren when he was five or six years old. His father had spent the whole time holed up in negotiations eith the then-regent, so he'd been left to entertain himself. He'd tried to reach out to the young queen, but she'd been guarded and suspicious-- unsure of how to handle the company of others her own age. Not so different from him, but he hadn't realized it at the time. He'd just figured she thought he was weird, like all the other kids he was used to, and befriended her horse, instead. (This had been before he could talk to horses, of course, but that had never stopped him.)

How things had changed. Hiw could he have imagined back then that someday he would be coming back, of his own free will, _just_ to visit Aanya?

The palace gates opened, and the royal procession entered the courtyard. The carriage door opened, and Ezran stepped out.

As the the horses were stabled, Ez looked around. Much like in Katolis, the symbol of Duren-- the lotus flower-- was featured on most visible surfaces. If _he'd_ been the one to design this stuff, he night have added a little variety to mix things up. Maybe swirls or spirals, or even some floral patterns. But nobody had asked him, and every time he suggested remodelling the palace of Katolis, everybody freaked out. _Tradition, blablabla, that's how things have been done for centuries, etc._ He'd made enough changes since he became king that he figured palace decor was something he could afford to let go.

Ezran shook his head, trying to clear his head. _Focus. Aanya. Duren. Diplomatic mission._ The Durean servants escorted him and his attendants to the throne room, where Aanya awaited him.

* * *

Ezran walked up to the throne where the young queen sat. His attendants all lowered a knee and bowed. Ezran did not-- Aanya was a queen, an equal-- someone to respect, but not serve. He did bend his waist in a polite half-bow of respect. She stood and did the same. _Good._ He hadn't been sure if he'd remembered his diplomacy lessons properly, but apparently he'd done the right thing.

"King Ezran," Aanya, said, a hint of a smile on her lips, "What a pleasure to have you in Duren."

"Queen Aanya," he replied, trying not to laugh. _Diplomacy. We have an audience._ "The pleasure is mine." Aanya winked as if she'd read his mind.

At least he wasn't the only one who thought this stuff was kind of silly.

* * *

Dinner was a formal affair. He'd been seated next to Aanya, thank goodness, but the rest of the table was filled with various Durean nobility, who all vied for his attention.

"King Ezran, how goes this year's harvest season?"

"King Ezran, When does the prince return to Katolis?"

"King Ez-"

"Ladies and gentlemen," Aanya interrupted, laying a hand on his arm, below the table. "King Ezran has had a long journey from Katolis. Why don't we let him eat his dinner in peace."

 _Thank you,_ he mouthed. She nodded. The conversation shifted to the state of affairs in Duren, and whether the Earthblood ambassador and Lady Moira would be announcing their engagement anytime soon.

Ezran paid careful attention, but he didn't contribute. He'd learned that the best way to understand other people was to sit quietly and watch how they interacted with others when they weren't trying to impress a king. It was easy for everyone to forget he was there.

"Is everything okay, Ezran?" Aanya whispered. Well, apparently not _everyone_. He smiled.

"Yeah, it's fine," he whispered, "All this diplomac stuff is giving me a headache, and I had something important I wanted to ask you about. _Alone._ Any way we can get a chance to talk without the entourage?"

Aanya giggled.

"I think I might be able to arrange something," she said. "Tomorrow night, you need to..."

* * *

"Am I in the right place?" Ezran looked around. Aanya had given him specific instructions on where to go after sneaking out his window. He'd followed them exactly, and found himself in a small clearing in the woods. He looked around. He was alone. Well, not really. Corvus was out there, of course, watching him from a safe enough distance to protect him if necessary, but far enough away that he could have a conversation without being overheard.

"Aanya?" Ezran whispered. He heard a rustling above him, seonds before a short figure jumped down from a tree.

"Ezran," she said, placid as ever. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" Ezran scanned the woods in the direction she'd come from.

"You _do_ have a guard of some sort out there, right?"

"Of course, I do. I'm not stupid," she said, another smirk on her face. "I learned my lesson after the third assassination attempt. And I assume Corvus came with you?" He nodded.

"Alright," Ezran said, "I have a problem, and I think you're the only one who can help. It's silly, I know, but...." he trailed off, unsure of how to continue without sounding like a jerk. _Yeah, I know I'm a king with important responsiblities and all, but it's actually kind of--_

"Let me guess," Aanya said, interrupting his musings, "You're bored." _Wait, what?!_

"How did you-- I don't-- It's not--" It wasn't often Ezran found himself at a total loss for words, but this girl had left him totally confused.

"Ezran, you're not exactly special," she said, "If there's one thing I've learned growing up as queen, it's that rulers are just like anybody else. We have the same feelings, fears, and problems-- albeit on a bigger scale." Ezran knew all that, but he wasn't sure what it had to do with his current problem.

"Are you telling me _everyone_ feels this bored and frustrated on a regular basis?" How could that be? Katolis might not be perfect, but Ezran figured he was a deecnt king, and his subjects seemed content. If they were all feeling as discontent as he had been in recent months, they'd be rising in rebellion, wouldn't they?

"Not exactly," said the young queen, rolling her eyes, "But being king is your _job_. Most people, no matter how fulfilling or important their jobs are, get bored if that's all they do, all day, every day. People who never leave their hometowns dream of traveling and adventure. People who spend their lives traveling wish they had a homebase to return to. And unlike most jobs, being king isn't exactly the kind of job you can take off and put away at the end of a long day. In wartime, or times of turmoil, it's easier to forget that, but in times like this, all those feelings come bubbling up to the surface."

"So what do I do?" Ezran sighed. "Am I supposed to spend the rest of my life like this? How do other rulers manage?"

"How does anybody manage?" Aanya asked. "Tell me, what do your subjects do to counterbalance the doldrums of their daily work?"

"They....." Ezran sighed again, "They go home."

"Exactly," Aanya said, "They go home. Why do you think, wherever they are, whoever they are, everyone, be they humans, elves, or dragons, builds homes and families?"

"To have somewhere to belong, someone to belong _to_ ," Ezran replied, "Everyone needs someone."

"And rulers, as I mentioned before, are just like everyone else, albeit on a grander scale," Aanya explained, "A king or queen can't just leave their burdens at work like a regular person. They need people who can stand _beside_ them." 

Ezran understood that. He understood that painfully well.

"You know," Aanya continued, "Your father was a bit of an anomaly."

"My father?" Ezran blinked, confused as to the sudden switch in subjects. "What do you mean?"

"Most kings and queens, if not already married, tend to marry within a few years of ascending the throne," she said, "And widowed rulers usually abdicate or remarry within five or six years. For a king to rule alone for _nine_ years...well, such a thing hasn't happened in many decades, if not _centuries_."

"But he wasn't alone," Ezran said, smiling a little as he remembered playing hide-and-seek with his father and Bait, "He had us. Me, and Cal, and Bait, and even Viren for a while..."

"Exactly," Aanya replied, "He may not have had a partner, but he had a family. People who didn't just see him as king, but as _family_. People who called him, 'Dad' instead of 'King'."

"But I....." Ezran trailed off, "My brother and friends are gone. And even those who do return...won't necessarily be content to stay in the palace forever."

"And therein lies the crux of the matter," said the queen, "You grew up that way. With a brother...friends....equals. Some of us were never so lucky." She rubbed her arms. _She looks_ _sad._

"You're wrong about that, you know," he said, "You _do_ have friends." He reached out and hugged her. She gasped in surprise, then sank into the embrace, tightly hugging him back. _How long has it been since anyone gave this girl a hug?_

They stayed like that for what was probably longer than appropriate. Eventually Ezran remembered that they had an audience, and while they were probably far enough not to be heard, they could definitely be _seen_. He stepped back keeping his hands on her shoulders.

"You okay?" Ezran asked, looking into her slightly-dampened eyes.

"Yes," she said, her tone reverting back to its typically formal tone, "Anyways, we were here to help _you._ "

"I think we were probably here for both of us," he said, smiling. "I think I get it now. So that's why you said yes."

The marriage had been his idea, of course, but it had been more of a joke than anything else.

 _We must do_ something _to strengthen our alliances!_

_What do you suggest, then?_

_Well, with your brother's upcoming marriage, the elven alliances have been progressing smoothly, but on the human side--_

_Should I get married too, then? Make an alliance with another kingdom? Duren, perhaps?_

He'd never expected the council to take his jest seriously, and he'd been even more surprised when the envoy had returned with Aanya's consent.

"I have just as little desire to rule alone as you," she said, "But in the meantime, you _do_ have people who care about you. People you can rely on to ease your burden."

"Yeah, I do," he said, "And if it ever gets too much....."

"I'm here," she said, "That's what the Crow Lord is for."

"Well, Katolis's Crow Lord seems to have taken an indefinite furlough, but the Crow Master does an adequate job." They both laughed.

"And on that note," she said, "We'd better get back. If we're caught out here, it'll be a terrible scandal." She dashed into the woods, and he left in the opposite direction.

"You can come out now," he said, once he was nearing the palace.

"Are you....okay, King Ezran?" Corvus asked, appearing out of the bushes.

"I'm fine," Ezran replied, feeling better than he had in weeks. "Now, would you please help me climb back through this window?" Corvus sighed and lifted the young king up to his window.

* * *

The next few weeks in Duren passed quickly. He didn't get another chance to spend one on one time with Aanya, but being betrothed, they spent several "appropriately chaperoned" hours ggetting to know each other better. Ezran even introduced her to hide-and-seek. (She was _really_ good. Like, _scary_ good.) Eventually, it was time to return to Katolis.

"Queen Aanya, I'm afraid I must beg my leave," he said, as he gave the same half-bow to the girl in the throne.

"Well, if you must," she said, a teasing glint in her eye as she stood and returned the gesture.

_You know what, I'm sick of this stupid diplomacy stuff. I got to have a proper good bye to Callum and Rayla, and Soren, and all the others, so why can't we have the same?_

He reached out and hugged her. Shocked gasps rang out across the throne room, but Aanya just giggled and returned the gesture.

"You are an....unconventional king, Ezran," she whispered in his ear as she pulled away, "But these _are_ unconventional times."

* * *

Ezran got used to the uncomfortable feeling, eventually. He wasn't really alone, after all.

It didn't hurt that Rayla and Callum made it back in time to join him for winter at the Banther Lodge. (Amaya couldn't make it.) There were epic snowball fights (which Rayla won _all_ of, despite Callum's magic), snowman/elf building ("So much better than a dirtman, right, Ezran?"), and all the other fun winter activities they'd always enjoyed there.

The loneliness returned at night, when Callum and Rayla retired to their room and Ezran to his, _alone._ (Bait hibernated in the winter.) But it got the worst when they tried to build a snowfort, but couldn't get the structure to stand properly.

"Dad was the one who knew how to build these really well," Callum said.

"Yeah," Ezran replied, trying to smile. Instead, he felt his willpower crumble as he collapsed to his knees and started crying. Callum (who, despite Ezran's protests of _too old for this nonsense_ and _completely undignified for a king,_ still occasionally picked him up and spun him around) immediately lifted Ezran into his arms and carried him inside, Rayla behind them.

"Big Feelings Time?" Callum asked as they sat down on the couch, the three of them curled up together.

"Big Feelings Time," Ezran agreed.

So he told them everything. (Well, not _everything_. His private conversation with Aanya was _private,_ after all.) But he confessed how lonely he was, and how hard it was to rule by himself, and how stagnant everything felt.

"But," he said, switching to his kingly tone, "I don't want this to affect your decision on where to live. That's between the two of you, and has _nothing_ to do with me." Callum and Rayla smiled at each other.

"Well, I guess now is as good time as any to tell you," Rayla started. "We did have a hard time deciding."

"At first, we thought about staying at the Storm Spire as part of the new Dragonguard," Callum explained, "But that's a longtime position, with a lot of commitment, and the new guard seems to have everything handled."

"Maybe someday," Rayla continued, "But I know better than most that raising a family in the Storm Spire is kind of tricky."

"Wait a second," Ezran said. "A family? You mean-?"

"That's right, little buddy," Callum said, ruffling Ezran's hair, "In about seven months, you're going to be _Uncle_ Ezran." A huge smile broke across Ezran's face.

"Congratulations!" He hugged Rayla. "That's awesome!"

"But as we were saying," said Rayla, "Raising a family in the Storm Spire _wasn't_ a realistic option."

"So, after much deliberation," Callum said, "We decided we wanted to raise this kid somewhere she--" "--Or he!" "Yes, Rayla, she _or_ he could spend time with our whole family-- human, elf, and dragon."

"And where better than the kingdom where all of this started?" Rayla finished.

"You mean--"

"Yup, Ez, we're staying in Katolis!" Callum smiled down at his little brother.

* * *

Being king, Ezran couldn't afford to spend the _entire_ winter at the lodge, so they headed back after only a few weeks. Two days later, Ezran got the notice that the exchange group was due back in a few days. The only problem? Said notice was a few days old.

"Guys!" He ran to the courtyard, where Callum was (unsuccessfully) attempting to convince Rayla to take it easy with her training. "I just got the news. It's an emergency!"

Rayla grabbed her swords. Callum ran up to him.

"What's the matter, Ez?"

"It's...Soren..." Ezran said, panting from his sprint. "He....and the others...coming back....tomorrow...."

"Okay?" Callum said, a little confused, "How is that a problem?"

"Callum," Ezran said, giving his brother _the look_ , "What happens tomorrow?" Callum's face lit up in understanding.

"What is it?" Rayla asked, still confused, "What happens tomorrow?"

"Soren's birthday," Ezran explained. "He's got this fear that people are going to forget it or something, so every year, for an entire _week_ beforehand, he goes around reminding _everybody_ from the king to the stableboy. He _loves_ presents, and his favorite birthday foods, and if he shows up after being gone for an entire year, and nobody's gotten him anything, or prepared anything....."

"That fear will come true," Rayla finished. "Well, we'll just have to do something about that, won't we?"

* * *

"Welcome home," Ezran said to the assembled people who'd just come into the courtyard as they dismounted. The exchange group was made up of envoys from all five kingdoms, but as Katolis was the closest to the Xadian border, they'd come here first. Within the next few days, they'd all be headed home to their respective kingdoms.

"Hey little buddy," Soren said, ruffling Ezran's hair (ignoring the displeased diplomats' glares). "Good to be home. And just in time for--"

"That's right," Ezran said, "Just in time for the welcome banquet."

"Welcome banquet?" Marcos quirked his head.

"Well, I thought you guys might want to freshen up first," Ezran explained, "There've been rooms prepared for all of you, and your baths are being drawn now. The dinner banquet is in an hour. I'll see you all then."

"But--"

"Yes, I know you have your own room, Soren," Ezran interjected. "Don't worry, it's still waiting for you. Now if you don't mind, I do have a few things to deal with before the banquet. We'll catch up then, okay?" Then he turned around and walked away, stifling a giggle at Soren's confused facial expression.

* * *

"Places, everyone," Callum whisper-yelled as he ran into the room. "They're almost here!" Ezran peeked out from his spot underneath the table. At first glance, the banquet hall _looked_ empty of people, but he knew the various palace residents were all hiding. The sound of footsteps had him ducking back down, and not a moment too soon.

"Hello?" Soren called as he and the rest of the exchange group trooped into the room. "Anyone here? I thought this was where--"

"SURPRISE!!" The yells came from every corner of the room, as everyone, from Callum and Rayla, to the rest of the Crownguard, to the council members and Barius the baker jumped out of their hiding spots. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOREN!!"

"Aw, you guys _did_ remember!" Soren looked like he was about to tear up.

"Of course we did," Ezran said, "How could we forget? Now come on, you're the guest of honor!"

Soren gaped at the huge pile of presents by his seat.

"You didn't have to-- well, yes, you did," he laughed. "Thank you all _so_ much."

"Don't thank us just yet," Callum said, "Wait until you see the food." Ezran rang a bell, and several servants came in carting huge trays of all Soren's favorite birthday foods.

"Pancakes, waffles, sprinkles...." Soren said, gaping as the food was placed on the table, "Wait, what's that?"

"I believe that is known as a 'Moonberry Surprise,'" Ezran explained, "It's a Moonshadow delicacy-- Rayla made it. You didn't have any when you visited the Silvergrove?"

"You know I don't like desserts, Ez," Soren said.

"Right," Ezran said, rolling his eyes. Soren always claimed that he "didn't like desserts," but come his birthday, that's all he would eat. _Oh, Soren_ , he thought, holding back another chuckle, _I'm so glad you're home._

* * *

The party went well, although Ezran could've sworn he saw a sad look crossing Soren's face when the young man thought no one was looking. He chose to ignore it, knowing that this wasn't something he could fix with a simple surprise party. Within a few days, the foreign members of the exchange group had all left back to their home kingdowms, and Soren was back with the Crownguard as if he'd never left.

A few weeks later Ezran left a note and snuck off (Corvus came too, of course) for a couple of days off to go visit his friend Ellis for _her_ birthday. She'd been pleasantly surprised, and they'd spent a fun day together. Disguising himself as a simple peasant, he'd joined Ellis when she went to visit the local animal doctor, and the two of them had helped him at for a little while. (Ellis had to stifle a gigglie when the doctor praised Ezran for his "unique atunement with the animals' desires.) Afterwards, Ellis and her family had invited him and Corvus to join them for her birthday "feast," and refused to take his protests seriously. He tried not to eat too much, aware that the family was not exactly well-off, and only ate the smallest piece of winter berry pie he could convince her mother to cut him (it was delicious), then left before they could insist he stay the night.

When returned to the palace, the council gave him a serious talking-to about leaving the palace without a proper warning or entourage. (None of them listen when he said he _had_ left them a warning letter and that Corvus was entourage enough.)

And then, before he knew it, the Crow Master was bringing him an official notice from Duren, informing him that Queen Aanya would be making a diplomatic visit in honor of his birthday. ( _His_ birthday? Was it really so soon? He hadn't realized it was so close.)

The procession from Duren arrived two days before his birthday. Aanya was greeted with all the pomp and circumstance he'd faced when arriving in Duren. Of course, after she'd given him the perfunctory half-bow and he'd returned the gesture, he hugged her again. Of course, this wasn't met with the same shock as it had in Duren, considering the palace residents of Katolis had grown to expect this sort of behavior from the young king.

Dinner that night was held in the banquet hall, as per usual when hosting guests. Luckily, he was seated between Aanya and Rayla, so he'd gotten a chance to catch up with the queen. Unfortunately, that also meant that he spent the rest of the evening ignored as the two of them had debated baby names over him. He'd _tried_ to interject with his own ideas, but the two of them had just rolled their eyes and gone back to ignoring him. (He thought Bait II was a _great_ name.)

The next day was incredibly busy. He'd never realized just how much _preparation_ went into a king's birthday celebration. _No wonder Dad always wanted to spend his birthday at the lodge. He wanted to get away from this craziness!_

And yet, when he was finally able to crawl into bed that night, he couldn't seem to fall asleep. He rolled around for a few hours before giving up. He sighed, pulled on his cloak and boots, and knocked on the wall to let Corvus know he was heading out.

He slipped out through the courtyard, heading for the woods.

He climbed up a tree and sat there for a while, staring at the stars. But the call of a night owl jostled him from his reverie. _Stranger! Stranger in the woods!_ He looked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

The moon wasn't quite full, but it shone bright enough for him to make out the figure approaching him. He climbed down from the tree, then held up his hand.

"Stand down," he said, sighing, "She's not here to hurt me."

He heard a mutter that sounded like _yeah, right_ , but Corvus stayed behind him.

The figure stepped forward, and the moonlight made her chalk-white hair appear to glow.

"Hello, Claudia," Ezran said, taking a step toward her, "I was starting to wonder whether you were ever planning on coming back."

The sound of a clock bell rang through the air. It was midnight. He was twelve years old.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I want to change the title of this story. The current one was the first thing I came up with, but it's kind of boring, and too similar to the title of one of my other fics.  
> Any ideas what I should call it instead? I was thinking maybe Kings and Queens, like the Thirty Seconds to Mars song (because I love naming fics after songs), but that song is pretty intense and more suitable for an epic adventure story, which this fic is not. Let me kniw if you come up with any ideas! (Although now that I think about it, the current title is _also_ from a 30STM song, although that was totally unintentional.)
> 
> And for anyone wondering about poor Corvus and when he gets any sleep, I figure he gets to sleep around 3 or 4 AM, and wakes up around noon-- Ezran's safe enough in the mornings, he doesn't also need his personal bodyguard on hand.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this a little over a year after canon and after everything has been settled. Viren and Aaravos are gone.
> 
> I'm on [tumblr](https://ljf613.tumblr.com/)!


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